scanfiend

Yeah, you can disable the video out function when using the AV-out jack (also known as line-out). However, when you use the AV out via the dongle, the Creative merely disables the volume on the player and blasts the audio signal out to the line-out at FULL VOLUME. Hmmm....shouldn't the signal come out flat and unamped instead? I found out that the input signal kinda overwhelmed the Xenos and the Crossroads, the 2 portable amps I was using. You can only turn the volume knob on the amp just a LITTLE BIT before the volume became unbearable. Sorta defeats the purpose of using the amp then?

However they look, the proof is in the hearing. That's all that matters. Heck, when one of my friends saw my UM2, he asked, "Cool, are they home-made"?

heh, I just want someting to listen to....I don't want to shake the whole house down! If space wasn't a contraint I would probably have bought the nEar 5, but Wilson sold all 3 pairs he had! Hot sellers

The lack of microphonics is simply amazing. Both the UM1 and UM2. Even the newer ER4 with the braided cable exhibits some signs of microphonics. I don't know how westone did it, but *clap clap clap* I think that the way the cable loops over the ear also has something to do with the lack of microphonics....along with the extremely thin, flexible and braided cable

Oh I did audition it tonight.....a subtle difference between the nEar 5 & nEar 6....unless you want to listen to you music LOUD, then I would think the nEar 5 is a better deal Oh, and I bought the nEar4. too....couldn't resist

Did you guys also try the nEar 05? Heard Jaben is also bringing in the nEar 06! Should be quite a treat to listen to these babies

Update: Xenos REP with Cardas HPI interconnect - and the Auvana sounds even better?! Bass is tighter and more defined, the mids filled out a little more. Thank goodness it's not a total write-off then

Haha ya man. Don't trust headfi entirely. Sometimes people get a little too excited. But I think it is going to be the best universal fit IEM in the current market. This is true. Don't trust any forum or impression entirely. If possible, try to listen to them and always do as much research as possible. Now i feel i can trust certain people as our sonic preferences are similar. Others, i take with a pinch of salt. For me personally, i like headphones with a slightly treble roll off. So no 325i or 880 or sa5000 for me. Rs-2, hd650 or ad2000. Truer words have never been spoken Bring your own source (preferably music you are intimately familar with) to a place where you can audition the 'phones. I was at Stereo Electronics last Sunday (for the 1st time!), and they have a wide variety of earphones for you to try. Service was top notch, there was no pressure to buy, and I got to meet Aaron After trying out the highly rated phones mentioned in this fine forum, I found I still preferred the warm, lush sounds of the UM2. It has been a great experience.

They are made of silicone, and according to Wilson of Jaben, they should last you for at least 7 years....depending on how you take care of them, of course. Supposedly, if you have a proper mould done, the fit and isolation should be superior to any tips (comply, foam, tri/bi flange) you use on your UM2. That is important, because IEM's depend on a proper fit to sound their best.

That is indeed a handsone looking amp. From the pics, I think I prefer the black one over the silver.

Isn't it quite obvious? Yep, I bought the REP Flufighter: Which is exactly why you need to go down to listen for yourself. Impressions are subjective, after all It's all dependent on the equipment you have. I think the Xenos work very well indeed with my UM2. The UM2 now just sound so effortless and smooth. Musical bliss And yes, those were pretty kick-ass speakers, not too expensive, considering. Were you in the shop the same time as I was? Too bad I hadn't heard of them when my computer speakers died. I could have bought them - Theory_87: As I said, sonically, the Crossroad and Xenos REP are very similar. I do have the 2 amps....and after several days, the nod goes to the Xenos because the sound is fuller. But the difference is very slight. You definitely won't go wrong with the Crossroad.

My impressions of the Xenos OHA-REP & the Xenos OHA XO-RHP here are my impressions of the 2 amps after spending a few days listening to them. I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but I do appreciate good sound. I was primarily looking for an amp to drive my portable source, which is currently a Creative Vision:M. I’ve tried the amps out using a variety of music (mp3’s encoded at 192bit CBR) and testing it out on my modest collection of headphones: which included the Grado SR80, the Sennheiser HD590, PX100, Audio Technica CTK5, Creative Auvana, and the Westone UM2. I also must thank Wilson, of Jaben Network, who has kindly provided me with the 2 Xenos headphone amps for auditioning. I highly recommend that you guys check out his shop. His service is peerless. He’s also a computer freak, like me, so there’s always plenty to talk about every time I visit his shop. You can find more information on the 2 amps here: http://www.aptecpro.com/Xenos-Prod/X0HA/x0ha-intro-page.html Note that these impressions are based on my equipment, and are totally subjective. The SQ can vary considerably depending on your source, music, and your headphones. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s begin! 1st impressions: The amps were small and compact, being primarily designed for portable use. Though the casing was made of plastic, I’m happy to report that the build quality was satisfyingly solid. There were no squeaks when squeezed, and no rattles when shaken - no soft, flimsy plastic here! The volume control doubles as a power switch, and a too-bright blue LED those lights up when the amp was powered on. Externally, there was no way to tell the difference between the REP & RHP. You can only do that by popping open the battery cover to look at the sticker inside. The amps were powered by 9V batteries (alkaline or NiMH rechargeables). The instruction sheet stated that the output power increases when a 12V DC adapter (not included) is used. I was using 9V alkalines for this listening test. Can an amp improve the sound of headphones? The short answer, in my case, was yes! There were actual, discernable improvements in sound quality (SQ), dramatic improvements in some instances. This experience has been most enlightening. Xenos OHA-REP This was the “enhanced performance†model, touted as “compact, audiophile performance†in a portable package. This was the higher end of the 2 amps; it supposedly contained better components and electronics to enhance the sound output. I tried it out on both the headphone out and line-out of the Vision:M (via the dongle). My 1st impression was….wow! The bass, clarity, soundstage & separation showed improvements with virtually every headphone I’ve tried. The biggest improvements in SQ came from a surprising quarter. The Creative Auvana has pretty anemic performance, especially considering its price (over $200). Other being comfy to wear and its good isolation properties when worn, the SQ was certainly nothing to shout about. It lacked presence, the highs were rolled off, and the bass was weak, resulting in thin, weedy & hollow sound. Plugging it into the REP resulted in a world of difference. Bass, clarity and soundstage showed dramatic differences. The congestion all but disappeared. It sounded like a totally different ‘phone. It’s very listenable now. The clarity probably came from the treble extension….I’m sure other more experienced members can explain it better than me. Unfortunately, the treble extension caused some sibilance in my Sennheiser HD590. The infamous “veil†on the Senn HD590 was reduced, but did not totally disappear. Pretty disappointing….maybe there’s no synergy with my Senn HD590. On my Westone UM2, already a strong performer unamped, the improvements were more subtle….but still noticeable. The already strong bass became tighter, more defined, better controlled. The mids and highs filled out a little more, making the already great SQ outstanding. Damn, but the UM2 really sparkled sonically. Xenos OHA-RHP The “High Performance†model. Touted for “discerning†headphone users. How does it sound compared to the REP? Well, the short answer was that I didn’t spend too much time on it. Why was that? One thing that immediately struck me was how “boomy†the amp sounded. There was a distinct treble roll off. The soundstage sounded congested. As for clarity, it sounded as if someone threw a heavy blanket between you and the music. The bass to my ears was boomy and bloated. In fact, I was surprised at the huge difference between the 2 amps. I was expecting something subtler. So how does this apply to music? Well, Sarah Brightman’s vocals that sounded so effortless reaching the highs (and those who listen Sarah’s music should know) with the REP-UM2 combo struggled under the RHP-UM2. Jocie Guo Mei Mei’s voice sounded nasal – almost as if she has a cold!! (‘nuff said). On a hunch, I tested it on the Grado SR80, which was renowned as a “bright†headphone. Well, it tamed the highs all right, but in doing so, it also mushed up the bass and the mids. Not very pleasant. Comparisons with: Crossroad HP-1 Very similar sonically to the REP, but the REP has more body, the soundstage and separation more defined. The crossroad sounded a little thin, compared to the REP, but the differences were slight. You really have to do an A-B comparison and listen hard to spot the differences. Last comments: I was using the amps connected from the headphone jack of the Creative. While I know it went against conventional wisdom, it just sounded better than the line-out. You get the line-out via the dongle and plugging into the A/V out jack. When you do so, the Creative Vision:M apparently directed the audio out at FULL VOLUME. Well, it did say you use that jack for external speakers. You can only rotate the volume knob on the amp just a little before the volume becomes unbearable. The tonal subtleties were totally lost. Maybe the input overwhelmed the amp? Whatever, it’s a flawed implementation of the line-out IMHO. Not to mention that the screen blacks out, and you can’t see and use the UI. Way to go, Creative.

Indeed.....sonically, it sounds like the Xenos REP, and it's available for about $85! If that ain't value, I dunno what is The minuses are it's build quality...thin plastic and nondescript outer shell. The Xenos REP JUST beat it in terms of bass definition and treble extension....but you really, really have to listen for it. @theory87: how do you know when the amp is fully charged? I thought the red light on the charging plug would turn from red to green like some chargers.....I left it on overnight, and it's still red!

I think Jaben at Aldephi sells it. It's incredible value, IMHO

I am currently auditioning the Xenos REP and Xenos RHP headphone amps. There is an audible hissing detectable with my UM2's on both amps. It was worse with the RHP. Fortunately, they do seem to go away after a few minutes of powering up. I read somewhere that perhaps it was the capacitors charging up? Hmmm.... @feather: I can definitely say the UM2 was definitely affected by the amping. The effects were subtle, but the bass was tighter & better controlled, and the mids & highs were definitely extended. A pleasureable change, but not exactly night and day, since the UM2 was already plenty efficient from my portable player.

Unless he's looking for something like earphones as opposed to headphones

ha ha....where do you stay? Nobody ever looked at my UM2's in my daily MRT commute to work. I take the East West Line from Jurong East

@genocide: According to the website, http://www.aptecpro.com/Xenos-Prod/X0HA/x0ha-intro-page.html the REP (enhanced performance) "audiophile" series contain better electronics to give better performance when compared to the RHP (high performance). A quick perusal on the comparison table do seem to indicate the better performance parameters of the REP....but whether that translates to a noticeable difference for your ears is another matter I'm currently auditioning the REP amp now. I will do a comparison with the RHP after a few days @vnwn: I've read somewhere that some amps produce hissing with low impedance headphones. I do hear some hissing with my AT CK5, Creative Auvana, Westone UM2 and to a lesser extent, the Grado SR80. These are all low impedance 'phones. I hear no hiss at all with my Sennheiser HD 590. The Senn 590 has an impedance of 120 ohms.

Well Aaron, as they say, your mileage may vary Whether an amp improves your sound will depend on your source, your headphones, and the type of music you like. Most integrated headphone jacks of portable players does not provide enough power to drive certain kinds of headphones. This is especially true because as players get smaller, so does batteries and battery life thus becomes a legitimate concern. Not all headphones benefit from using an amp. Gradoes, and most IEM's like the UM2 are very efficient and usually do not need amps to sound good. Similarly, not many users can differentiate between an amped and unamped headphone. It's all subjective, so you do have to try it out. However, some headphones you may have given up on may be brought "back to life" using an amp. I was trying out my Creative Auvana canal phones with an Xenos REP headphone amp on my way back from work just now. The Auvana definitely benefits from amping Unamped, the Auvana sounded congested, hollow, with a tinny base and weak high's. From the amp, the soundstage expanded tremendously. It's more airy, clarity has improved as the highs were extended, and the bass became tighter and more authoritative. The mids were more pronounced, but not by much, because there was still a slight hollow resonance (Maybe it will get better, in time - we'll see). It became a totally different headphone - from the point of my ears, I mean On the other hand, my friend still preferred the un-amped Auvana's Let your ears be your guide!

Most don't really care, look at the example where people listen at full-blaster with earbuds. I once tried my HQ-1700 on the train. Quit after once, too soft underneath the loud train noises. Yeah, I worry about their hearing sometimes.....not to mention it's damn irritating Can you imagine the volume when you can hear their music from 5 feet away? From ear-buds that are probably pushed beyond their design limits, judging from the distortion I can hear

Heh, I know what you mean about the CK5, but hope springs eternal Funnily enough, the CK5 sounded a whole lot better than the Panasonic HJE50, to my ears, at least. The Panasonic sounded like a someone ripped the entire mids out of it, so all you get are the lows and the highs. The net result was just dreadful....I couldn't bring myself to hear it anymore so I gave it away that very day . Wasn't particularly motivated to try the HJE70 after this disappointment. Does Stereo Electronics have a pair for auditioning? The design is damn class, sia

huh? y thank me? i lyk crossroad hp-1 very much but only wish the casing is metal... the size is juz right for me... Well, I'm thanking you for letting me know the name of the "no-name" amp Oho! Wilson just let me audition the Xenos RHP and REP for a few days - wow! Can't wait to try them on the Senn 590 and Grado SR80 and see how they sound. Maybe I'll also hit the AT CK5 & the Auvana to see if I can coax more listenability out of them

The only thing I can say is to bring your headphone down to audition with the amp. The Creative Auvana really opened up and became more listenable when plugged into a humble Crossroad HP1 amp (Thanks Theory87!). So you could be pleasantly surprised - though not too sure about your wallet

Yeah, you have to turn the volume waaaay up when the MRT enters the tunnel Though the volume may seem the same to you, the amount of sound blasting into your eardrums is a whole lot more. Plus open headphones leak sound like crazy.

Indeed. I had the opportunity to audition the MS2 at Jaben - In the short 15min I spent with them, I must say that the clarity of the cans are breath-taking. Holy smokes, they bring out details I never knew existed in my MP3's! I was using it un-amped on my Creative Vision:M. Listening to "Now We Are free" (Theme from Gladiator) brought up goosepimples. The soundstage is superb. It's airy, the bass resonates, the vocal reverbs are lush and stirring. It was the closest thing to an eargasm I've been